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The president was correct and principled in commenting that the builders of the mosque and community center near Ground Zero, on private property, had every right under our American Constitution to do so. We cannot pick and choose to which American groups we can extend certain rights in this country. As long as those rights are given and protected in the Constitution, all Americans are to be afforded those rights. It is what makes this country great and what sets it apart from the rest of the world.

While the president was right in this particular comment, he was also right in not injecting his personal view or his personal “wisdom” into the fray as that is not his job as president of the United States to do so, especially when all the local laws and ordinances have stated very clearly that the builders of the mosque and community center are completely within their rights do move forward with the project.

This will not be an election year issue as much as Republicans will try to make it one. And in fact, if they do, it will only continue to paint them as the intolerant, small, petty, angry party that many moderate, independent voters, and importantly for the future of the GOP, many minorities already believe them to be. Americans of all backgrounds will look to candidates who they believe will help them with their economic situations. Kitchen table, bread and butter issues are what will decide this election, not the comments of a president who is simply stating what the Constitution already represents – though clearly many need to be consistently reminded.

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